The Portland daily press., 1887-04-23
AN ADVENTUROUS VOYAGE.
The Cruise.of a Little Pilot Boat TO
Europe.
How an American Newspaper got
the Latest News.
Quick and Bold Work in the Days OF
Slow Coaches.


Yacht racing across the Atlantic was con-
sidered most hazardous undertaking when
proposed as diversion by the wealthy pro-
prietors of the Fleetwing, Vesta and Henri
eta Of the New York Club, and a winters
cruise was so little relished, even by those
gentlemen, that only Mr.. James Gordon Ben
nett Of the Henrietta had the courage to take
passage in his own craft when all three sail
ed out Of New York harbor Dec. IL, 1866.
But twenty years before that time, New
York newspaper had accomplished more
ventures0me and perll0us undertaking, and
demonstrated the ability ola small sailing
vessel to cross the stormy sea In safety, even
In the lmost bois ferrous weather.
1t was pending the heated controversy be-
tween the United States and Great Britain
cry of "54-40 or fight was the American
watchword, and both Governments were
anticipating a rupture because OF the earn
estness of the convention-before the era OF
Atlantic cables, or even OF ocean Greyhounds,i
whensthe primitive slow-going steamship
arrived at intervals Of two weeks or more
with news OF from twelve to twenty days
prior date, facilitated in its delivery by pri-
vate expresses from Halifax, where the Oe-
casional steamer would land, and whence
"
ed to Newfork by messeners, employing
relays of horses through the forests OF New
Brunswick and Maine, and special locomotive
engines from Boston to New York eity-it
was at such time, when news was imp0r-
tant and difficult TO secure or transmit, that
The Sun displayed its enterprise. by sending
a little New York pilot boat across the At
lantic in mid-winter on news-gathering ex-
petition.
The William J. Romer, "a tons measure
m caboonar riOOad xfQa tho heat char
tered by The Sun for Its expedition. She
sailed from New York harb0r, in company
with the packet ship Patrick Henry, at u
p. NJ. on Feb. o, 1916. Her crew consisted OF
first mate; James Conner, second mate
Marshall Green, steward, and James, u.
johnson, George Cotton, James McLesle,
and Edward Freyer, seamen. She carried
but one passenger, the ship news collector OF
The Sun, though rumor az the time placed
Government messenger in her. Her sailing
had been somewhat mystifed, as was natu-
raj, in order to prevent enterprising contem-
poraries from gaining knowledge OF her
real mission.
Thus these contemporaries attributed her
mid winter cruise to various causes. The
Journal Of Commerce thought she took out
Government dispatches, sent thrs expressly
in order TO secure answers by the next
steamer. The New York Express was also
quite certain that she took out "a confident
AAANooelAH
partment." The Globe said she had been
chartered to overhaul and bring back a fu-
gitive carpet manufacturer Of Astoria. The
Gazeett facetiOusly had 1t that she was
chartered by the representatives Of two or
three foreign governments to abduct the per-
son Of the great shot-at, henry w. Payne"
A New York correspondent Of the National
Intellgencer informed his paper that "it Is a
private transaction Of Mr.. b. Ia RESPECTABLE
merchant) who had mercantile speculation
N - Tho Maui Vorh oOrr0apQuhnnf "A
the United States Gazette wrote that 1.-THE
fact may be relied upon that she was chart
cred by Barclay Il Livingstone of this city
w. III. Barclay, the British Consul, being a
most irresistible that she carries out de-
spatches to the British Government from
Mr.. Pakenham.
Thus it is seen how wide attention was
attracted to the sailing Of this frail boat at
such season, that 1t was looked upon; as
such an unprecedented, costly, and hazard
Gus an undertaking that only public resources
or the authority Of some Government could
justify it.
Before the Romer sailed, but when it be-
came known that she was to sail In company
with the big packet ship Patrick Henry for
a common destination, .bets were freely made
in Wall and Broad streets, and in CONNER
cial circles generally, on the result, and a
great deel OF money was wagered, though
what were the odds there Is now no means
was witnessed by many spectators, a signal
gun being fired to indicate the start. The
PatricklHenry was t0wed TO sea, but the
plucky little R0mer shook out her canvas at
the start, and sailing down the bay, passed
her big competitor before Staten Island was
left astern, and had gained lead Of five
miles before reaching Sandy Hook. That
was the last report from them during the
eyentful cruise; The weather proved un-
usually tempestuous, which was, of course,
To the ADVANTAGE Of the In VQccal
After the departure Of the R0mer the Gu
riosity as to her mission continued and
eclpsed the interest in the race. In the dis
cussion Of the purpose Of the mysterious voy-
patches had been sent" from Washington in
her; the British Consul did not charter the
boat, the Government messengers alleged to
have sailed in her returned TO Washington,
and her passenger list was narrowed down
to "a man in glazed cap and box coat" who
was The Suns ship news collector.
The Patrick Henry arrived at $50 D. m.
March 2 after passage Of twenty-one days,
reporting exceedingly rough weather
throughout. The Romer arrived on the even
ing OF the following day, being beaten only
by about twenty-four hours by her big COM
petltor. During her voyage she was COM
PEELED to lie to for eleven days because of the
violence OF the weather. With more moder-
ate weather 1t Is manifest that she would
have scooped the Patrick Henry badly. The
tionei the fact that ''she brought one pas
senger, who has proceeded via Dublin for
Liverpool" She was also visited, as she lay
at anchor IN the Cove Of Cork with the
American flag flying proudly over her, by an
onlcer In full uniform from a British naval
yessel,as were the yachts Coronet and Dannt
less on their arrival In the same harbor. But
the mission Of the British officer to the Ro-
mer was somewhat different from that paid
the more recent visitors. The Cork reporter
related the visit of the officer to the Romer
as follows;
On her arrival in Cove Harbor with the Ameri-
can nag at the masthead Lieutenant OF II. NJ.
D vanguard was despatched by order, we
u IH Of the Admiral Ihe captain OF tne
much courtesy, asked him down 70 the cabin, and,
having been made acquainted with the object Of
his visit the Americans reply was Characteristic:
man shall touch that dag
This prompt reply puzzled the Britisher not a
little He returned to his ship for further ORDERS
and In short time came back to the American
oileer Win an ample apology, to the effect that,
think she was an American vessel, and that the
nag Of that nation had been used without author
ity. And so the matter ended.
On March - The Suns messenger returned
from Liverpool. and the little yacht imme-
diately got under weigh on her return
voyage. She arrived home on the morning
OF April II following, beating everything,
bringing the latest news, which was OF the
utmost interest and Importance, and was
immediately given to the public in an extra
edition Of The Sun.
But the Sun, while taking some pride in
that early stroke Of enterprise, does not
claim that even that was the origin of trans
Atlantic cruising in craft of small Size. A
few years previous to that event the customs
authorities at this port found it necessary to
send an express pilot boat to Liverpool, in
pursuit OF smugglers, thus demonstrating
the ability Of such craft to cross the ocean.
In the face Of such achievements those of
the Coronet and Dauntless, or the Fleetwing,
vesta and Henrietta. lose much Of their
heroism because of their greater size. Here
is the tonnage Of all the several vessels:
Tons. Tons.
w. j. Romer ........ "a FleetWing. ......2l2
Vesta.. POI lDauntiess. ........2 54
Henrietta. .205 lCoronet.
IRON GENERALIZATION.
1t Causes Changes In the Fiber Of